As
part of a laboratory program, your child will have the opportunity to
conduct an experiment with his/her own DNA. DNA samples will be collected
from cheek cells that normally exist in saliva. Students will simply swish
the mouth with a saline solution and spit the sample into a cup. The DNA
samples that are extracted from these cells will be amplified and examined
for specific DNA markers, which may vary from person to person. Please
be assured the DNA markers we will examine play no role in an individualís
health nor do they have any relationship to physical traits or characteristics.
These markers are chosen because they are found in the non-coding portion
of the human genome. Student samples will be discarded after completing
the experiment.

There
is a consensus that human DNA samples should not be obtained without the
willing consent of the donor, who understands the purpose for which it
is being collected. Thus, these experiments will be explained clearly
beforehand, and students will be given the option to refrain from participating.